A Cineplex Employee Shared The Wildest Things He's Seen At Theatres & Some Are Cringe-Worthy

From fights to adult activity.

Someone eating popcorn in a theatre.

Someone eating popcorn in a theatre.

Creator

This article contains graphic content that might not be suitable for some readers.

Ever wondered what goes on in a theatre after the lights go out?

Narcity recently sat down with a former theatre employee and found out there's way more to the job than handing out popcorn.

Eric Bizzarri is a former theatre employee who has worked at both Cineplex as well as other smaller theatres in the Greater Toronto Area.

And during his time as an employee, he had a whole lot more than just dealing with angry customers.

From fist fights to catching some adult behaviour, here are some of his wildest stories of his many years slinging popcorn and selling tickets

The family feud

A family feud is probably not something you'd expect to see in your average theatre.

So, it's pretty surprising to hear that Bizzarri once became spectator to an-all out fist fight, right in front of the big screen.

"Hand to God, there were two families that fought each other in front of the IMAX theatre [showing of Toy Story 4]," explained Bizzarri.

The fight was prompted by some comments made between the two groups which escalated into a multi-generational brawl.

According to Bizzarri, there was a father punching the other father, grandparents being kicked in the groin and a wife pulling other's hair, in a battle that apparently went on for "five minutes until security came and broke it up."

"It was the most absurd thing I have ever seen," Bizzarri said.

The apocalypse

Being out in the middle of a storm can feel a little dangerous, but being in the theatre during a power outage can feel downright apocalyptic, according to Bizzarri.

He recounts that in the middle of a "terrible storm," his theatre's ceilings would drip water.

"There was one time when the power went out," he recounted.

"It was dark everywhere," he said. "It felt like an apocalypse."

Talk about spooky!

"Too much fun"

Meanwhile, apparently, there have been numerous times Bizzarri has experienced people getting, well, busy when those lights go out.

The theatre employee recounted one particular experience that took place during his time at a smaller theatre chain.

During one of his first few weeks on the job, he walked into a screening of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo where there were only two patrons in the theatre... and they were engaged in some 18+ behaviour.

"I walk[ed] in on this guy [giving oral sex] to this girl," he explained.

"I was like 'Oh my God!' and ran out."

After telling his manager what happened, Bizzarri was tasked with telling them to stop.

They noticed him the second time he came in and stopped what they were doing.

"I went to them [and was] like 'Guys, the movie theatre is for having fun, but you guys are having too much fun,'" he recounted.

"They didn't laugh at that."

But, after that confrontation, he checked on them every 30 minutes and the frisky couple remained chaste.

"They were sitting in their seats, legs crossed and not even talking."

And apparently, this isn't the only time he's walked in on someone getting down in the theatre, either!

Of course, these aren't the most common everyday experiences working in a cinema but are a few standout stories from Bizzarri's time there.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to know more Cineplex hacks, Bizzarri has details on how you can save money during your next trip to the theatre!

Happy cinemagoing!

  • Creator

    Tristan Wheeler (he/him) was a Toronto-based Creator for Narcity Media. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2020 where he was the Blog & Opinion Editor at the campus publication, The Ubyssey, for two years. Since then, his work has appeared in publications such as Curiocity, Maclean's, POV Magazine, and The Capital Daily, delving into topics such as film, media criticism, food & drink, podcasting, and more.

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